As with most books about the awesomeness of reading, this is most likely to appeal to children who are already excited about...
Doris—a light-blue cartoon dinosaur who adores reading books—eventually wins over her skeptical, action-oriented brothers.
“Hooray for books! / I love them so! / I get a wagonload to go.” That’s Doris at the library, beginning a fairly lengthy exposition of her love affair with books. The entire text is in rhyme, with two different schemes of rhythm. The scansion is excellent, making the verses both easy to read aloud and easy for pre-readers to eventually memorize. Children who embrace the warm, happy personality of PBS’ Barney will eagerly accept smiling Doris, with her pink stegosaurus spikes, and her equally colorful theropod brothers. Although the brothers initially complain that Doris just wants to read when they want to do such things as play “STEGO Blocks” or “Chomp the Flag,” Doris inadvertently lures them into her world by revealing exciting facts from a book of records, riddles from a joke book, and the imaginative playacting that results from reading fiction. Little ones will giggle at how the tables turn after Doris’ pirate book completely enthralls her brothers. If the group pictured on the verso upon opening the book is Doris’ family, it appears that Doris and her mother share the cartoon gender trait of curly lashes. Fortunately, Doris’ exuberant, life-affirming behavior shows not a trace of shy, bluestocking bookishness.
As with most books about the awesomeness of reading, this is most likely to appeal to children who are already excited about books, but it makes for an agreeable affirmation. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-11676-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Imprint
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
In the crowded field of dinosaur-themed children’s books, this one does not shine.
Do you want to celebrate your birthday with dinosaurs?
“Dinosaurs are BIG and strong. / They’re clumsy and they’re FARTY,” we’re told. “So do you really want them coming / to your birthday party?” A birthday banner drapes across the gutter, while full-bleed art depicts a diverse group of partygoers surrounded by dinos and looking perturbed (one child is holding their nose). The party appears to be thrown by a pair of adults for their child (all are brown-skinned). Spread after spread features overly busy art and more verse about why dinosaurs make poor party guests. A dinosaur at a pool party would jump in and displace all the water. Brontosaurus would love playing hide-and-seek—but likely wouldn’t be very good at it. Dinosaurs would gobble up all the food and, in their haste, accidentally trample all the birthday gifts. But, the narrator points out, dinosaurs are well intentioned, and soon we see examples of prehistoric pals working to make the celebration a smashing success—a group of kids use a dinosaur belly as a trampoline, and a velociraptor joins in for a fun game of tag. Though some dino fans may enjoy this one, it doesn’t rise to the top. The art is garish, and the verse often scans awkwardly. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
In the crowded field of dinosaur-themed children’s books, this one does not shine. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 20, 2023
ISBN: 9781400242054
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A kissing cousin to Bob Shea’s Dinosaur vs.… series.
Chomping and stomping come naturally to an exuberant dinosaur hatchling. Kissing? That takes practice.
Emerging from her egg at a run, Dinah STOMPS her fat legs and CHOMPS weeds with her sharp teeth. Kissing, though, turns out to be a challenge. After sending one hapless victim flying with a head butt and another inadvertently down the hatch (“Whoops,” she says. “Not good”), she returns to the hatchery…just in time to welcome a new sib with kisses—the sort that involve chomping, stomping and delighted head butts (“WHOMP!”). Drawn in thick outlines with a huge grin, wide eyes and a mottled yellow hide, Dinah stumps her way through minimally detailed prehistoric landscapes populated with anxious-looking smaller creatures. Children who groove on wimpy little butterfly kisses had best look elsewhere.
A kissing cousin to Bob Shea’s Dinosaur vs.… series. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6104-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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